The barrier inside the room slowly faded as Renya stepped out with a complicated expression on his face.
"Kid, how’s my big brother?"
Senju Tobirama’s voice trembled slightly, an unusual tension appearing on his face.
He hadn’t used sensory techniques—almost as if he didn’t want to know the answer so soon.
But when he saw the look on Renya’s face, he understood.
"Old man... Hashirama-san... he’s gone."
Renya’s voice was hoarse.
Senju Tobirama said nothing, tilting his head up to look at the full moon above.
Uzumaki Mito clutched Tsunade tightly in her arms, both of them sobbing uncontrollably.
Even though they had ntally prepared for it, the pain was still unbearable when it actually happened.
Seeing their grief, Renya felt a pang of guilt.
He hadn’t wanted it to be this way either—but it was Senju Hashirama’s own request.
Rather than letting him live in a daze for another three years in the village, it was better to let him go...
...
No one knew how much ti had passed before Senju Tobirama suddenly spoke.
"Kid, take care of my brother. I have so matters to deal with."
With that, his figure flickered and vanished.
The news of Hashirama’s death absolutely could not be allowed to spread!
He had to seal off the information imdiately to prevent others from finding out and causing panic.
Even more importantly, enemy spies must not learn of it...
"Mito-san, please accept my condolences," Renya said softly.
"Mm... I understand."
Uzumaki Mito gradually composed herself, and Tsunade, nestled in her arms, had already fallen asleep.
She gently picked Tsunade up and handed her to Renya.
"Renya, sorry to trouble you—please take Tsunade to rest. I want to spend a little more ti with Hashirama."
Renya nodded and left with Tsunade.
Uzumaki Mito entered the room. Looking at Hashirama lying there with his eyes closed, tears once again flowed down her face.
...
Senju Hashirama was dead.
His funeral was simple. Only four people attended.
As Hokage, Senju Tobirama had imdiately sealed off the information.
An entire night passed, and almost no one knew that Hashirama had died.
Tobirama was well aware of how much influence his brother had in the Shinobi World.
As long as Hashirama was alive, no one dared make a move against Konoha.
After all, the title of "God of Shinobi" was earned through battle.
Everyone in the Shinobi World had been forced to submit by Hashirama—that’s why they called him the God of Shinobi!
The Land of Fire possessed a favorable geographic position and abundant resources—in the eyes of the other villages, it was a piece of fat at.
Because of Hashirama’s presence, they could only suppress their greed.
But once they learned that he was gone, war would co without hesitation.
Konoha without the God of Shinobi had lost its greatest deterrent.
Even though Konoha still had greater overall strength than other villages, for the sake of the Land of Fire’s resources, they would not hesitate to start a war.
So the truth had to be hidden for as long as possible.
That way, Konoha would have enough ti to grow stronger.
...
A light drizzle fell, and the stone path of the Senju cetery was covered in mud.
Senju Tobirama stood beside a freshly dug grave, wrapped in a black cloak. His white hair fluttered in the wind.
Renya stood beside him, holding a bouquet of fresh flowers.
Rain mixed with sand fell on little Tsunade’s tender face. The five-year-old clung tightly to Mito’s sleeve, staring blankly as her granduncle and uncle lowered her grandfather’s coffin into the grave.
She had lost the person who loved her the most.
There would be no one left to gamble with her anymore...
Raindrops mixed with tears slid down Tsunade’s cheeks, splashing tiny droplets as they hit the ground.
Uzumaki Mito silently lit three sticks of incense. The smoke twisted and disappeared into the rain.
After finishing, she took Tsunade’s hand and left the grave.
Only Renya and Tobirama remained standing in the rain.
No one knew how long had passed before Senju Tobirama suddenly asked,
"Kid, is my brother really dead?"
Sothing just felt off—how could his brother die so suddenly?
He hadn’t even left any final words...
He was truly curious about what Hashirama had said to Renya before dying.
Caught off guard by the question, Renya froze for a mont, but quickly composed himself.
"Old man, I understand how you feel," Renya sighed and offered comfort. "But the dead cannot co back to life. Please accept it and move on."
"You and I both know full well the state of Hashirama-san’s body. It was impossible for him to survive. Don’t deceive yourself anymore."
Senju Tobirama remained silent, turning his gaze toward the grave.
Calling it a grave was generous—it was just a slightly larger mound of earth.
Hashirama’s cells were extrely unique—his body could not be allowed to fall into the hands of those who might experint on it!
To prevent anyone from targeting his brother’s remains, Tobirama hadn’t even placed a gravestone...
In another ten or twenty years, who would believe that this little mound marked the resting place of the legendary God of Shinobi?
So, in a way, this was a kind of protection.
Of course, there were many such unmarked graves in the cetery.
During the Warring States period, the kind-hearted Senju Hashirama had buried not only his fallen clan mbers but also enemy corpses here.
The ones with gravestones were Senju clansn—those without were naless enemies.
Seeing that Tobirama still didn’t speak, Renya continued,
"Old man, if you really don’t believe it, go ahead and dig him up and dissect the body yourself."
Knowing this old man well, Renya was certain he would never actually do such a thing.
That was exactly why he said it—so Tobirama would accept the truth.
As expected, Senju Tobirama didn’t act.
He turned to look at Renya, voice low.
"It’s not that I don’t believe you... I just can’t bring myself to accept it."
He had already used his sensory abilities to scan the whole of Konoha. When he found no trace of his brother’s chakra, he knew—it was true.
Even if he didn’t want to believe it, the reality was undeniable.
Renya’s expression remained calm, but internally he was anything but peaceful.
Damn... finally got away with it.
"Kid, what did my brother say to you before he died?" Tobirama asked.
He wanted to know if Hashirama had entrusted anything to him.
Renya nodded. Hashirama had indeed left a final ssage.
"Old man, Hashirama-san asked to tell you that the village is yours now. He hopes you can lead it to prosperity."
Senju Tobirama stared at the mound of earth, whispering,
"Don’t worry, big brother."
This village had been founded by his brother. It was his duty now to protect it.
The two of them stood before the grave, completely unaware of the shadow that erged from another mound in the distance.
The figure quickly blended back into the earth.
"Heh... The reincarnation of Asura is finally dead..."
...
Land of Fire, atop a cliff.
A figure wearing a straw hat stood silently for a long ti, his eyes filled with longing and peace.
The wind swept past, lifting one side of the hat, revealing the pale face of Senju Hashirama.
He took one last, long look at the Hidden Leaf Village, as if to etch it permanently into his mory.
As he turned away, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly beneath the straw hat.
He stepped forward, his silhouette slowly disappearing into the curtain of rain.
"Madara, I’m coming for you!"
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